Cape Town Itinerary: 5 Perfect Days for First-Timers

If you’re wondering whether Cape Town is worth visiting, the answer is yes, absolutely! Every time I go back home to Cape Town, I wonder why I ever left. The scenery, the weather, the vibe, the friendly people – Cape Town is just so effortlessly cool.

If it’s your first visit, the best things that you shouldn’t miss are the beach, a visit to a wine farm, some mountain involvement of some kind, and Robben Island for an important dose of history. If you have more time, add the colourful Bo-Kaap neighbourhood, the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, and African penguins to your list.

IMHO, five days is the shortest amount of time you need to really experience Cape Town. This five-day Cape Town itinerary covers all the essentials, plus a few more must-dos. Make sure that you book restaurants and activities in advance.

Where to stay

For first-timers in Cape Town, you want to be as close to the city centre as possible – my top picks are Sea Point, Greenpoint, the Waterfront or the City Bowl. Camps Bay is lovely as well, but slightly out of the way, and most of the restaurants are pretty touristy.

Day 1: Classic Cape Town – Table Mountain and White Sand Beaches

Morning

A Cape Town icon to start your trip! If you’re taking the cable car up Table Mountain, have breakfast on Kloof Street on your way up to Table Mountain. Tamboers Winkel or Our Local are both great options for your first Cape Town breakfast – casual, cool decor, delicious food, and excellent coffee. You should book tickets for the cable car in advance, but it is a weather-dependent activity. If it can’t operate due to bad weather, you can change your ticket or get a refund.

If you’re hiking, you’ll need to start much earlier than a leisurely breakfast would allow, given the heat (depending on what time the sun rises, aim to start at 06:00, or by 06:30 at the latest). Rather take snacks for the hike, and have breakfast at the top, or once you come down. The shortest and most direct hiking route is via Platteklip Gorge, which is well signposted and very popular. That said, Platteklip involves about three hours of steep ascent, requires a reasonable level of fitness, and is not an easy hike.

Even if you do hike the way up, I always prefer taking the cable car down – the hike down is much hotter, everyone is grumpy by the end, and it causes a lot of stiffness, not really what you want for the rest of your holiday. I did Platteklip two days before my wedding, much to the consternation of some of my friends, but I managed to avoid being stiff for my walk down the aisle by taking the cable car down.

My advice? Unless you’re a major hiking fan, take the cable car both ways, and save your hiking for Lion’s Head. Platteklip is a bit of a pain, and, particularly in summer, involves a very early wake-up time.

Very importantly, if you are taking the cable car down, check the time of the last cable car in advance, and make sure that you are on it. A surprising number of tourists have to be rescued from Table Mountain because they miss the last cable car – don’t be one of these people.

The top of Table Mountain has viewing points, restaurants and shops, and walking trails. Look out for dassies, also known as rock hyraxes, which are prolific on Table Mountain. They are small, rodent-like creatures which look a bit like large guinea pigs. Here’s a dassie fact which will surprise you: their closest relatives are elephants. Even if you’re taking the cable car, you will want to bring warm layers with you. The top of Table Mountain pretty much has its own climate, and the cloud cover arrives surprisingly fast.

Afternoon

Even if you didn’t hike, all that altitude means you’ve earned a good lunch and a relaxed afternoon. Go to the Lawns at the Roundhouse in Camps Bay for casual meals and beautiful views, and then spend the afternoon at the beach. Clifton 4th is my favourite, but if you can’t handle the idea of stairs up and down to the beach, go to Camps Bay Beach.

The beaches are free to enter, but you can pay to hire umbrellas if you like, and in summer, there are lots of vendors on the beach selling soft drinks and ice cream.

Evening

For your first dinner in Cape Town, go to the Pot Luck Club. Although this is fine dining, it is also very Cape Town – the waiters are friendly, the kitchen is open so you can see the chefs at work, and the food is designed to be shared. The restaurant also has beautiful panoramic views of the city, which is stunning at sunset.

The menu changes all the time, but if it is available, make sure you order the beef with truffle café au lait sauce, which is possibly the most delicious single menu item I have ever experienced. I remember the first time I had it, having never tasted truffle before, and it blew my little mind.

Day 2: Cape Town History – Robben Island, the Waterfront, and the colourful Bo-Kaap

Morning

Get breakfast in Seapoint this morning, just like a local (if you have time, take a stroll on the promenade beforehand!). The best place is Jarryd’s, but other delicious alternatives are Arthur’s Mini Super for hipster vibes, and Kleinsky’s for bagels.

Afterwards, head to the V&A Waterfront for your trip to Robben Island, another Cape Town classic. The trip to Robben Island is by ferry and has to be booked in advance. That said, please don’t shoot the messenger, but this is also a weather-dependent activity (hey, it’s not called the Cape of Storms for nothing…). If the weather is bad, the tour will be cancelled because the ferries can’t run, and you will be refunded.

The official tour, which departs from the Waterfront, is the only way to visit the island, and takes around 3.5 hours. I suggest booking a tour which starts as early as possible, so that you maximise time in the afternoon. Wear comfortable shoes, as the tour involves walking, and take warm layers for the ferry.

Robben Island is 6km off the coast of Cape Town, and gets its name from the Dutch word for seals (“robben”). From the 1600s, it was used as a prison and a leper colony. From the 1960s, it was used by the apartheid government in South Africa as a prison for political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela. Today, it operates as a museum and has been declared a World Heritage Site. The tour includes the graveyard, the limestone quarry, Robert Sobukwe‘s house, and the prison, including Nelson Mandela’s prison cell.

Obviously, given its history and the history of South Africa, Robben Island can be upsetting. But I think it’s important to see as much of the countries that you visit as possible, and South Africa isn’t all wine farms and white sand beaches. With that in mind, I always tell people that the fact that it is on an island means you get a bit of distance from the heavy feeling that it has. Once you get off the ferry back at the Waterfront, it feels like you’ve left a bit of the sadness behind.

That said, South Africa remains incredibly unequal today, and this is not something you can get away from, and also not something that you should try to ignore. If you’re inspired by what you’ve learned at Robben Island, one of the best ways to help ordinary South Africans is by supporting local small businesses, particularly those owned or run by South Africans from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. You could also volunteer or donate to charities working with education, housing or food security – I love Habitat for Humanity, FoodForward SA and the Lunchbox Fund.

Afternoon

Once you’re back, the Waterfront has a lot of great options for lunch, and they’re not all tourist traps. If you’re there on the weekend, take a walk to the OZFM, a lovely outdoor market, and my favourite one in Cape Town. Alternatively, have sushi or seafood at Sevruga or the Harbour House, which have stunning views.

Afterwards, take a short Uber trip to the Bo-Kaap. Bo-Kaap means “above the Cape” in Afrikaans. This is a formerly racially segregated area, previously called the Malay Quarter. The Bo-Kaap is famous for its colourful houses and cobbled streets. Pop into the small Bo-Kaap Museum, which depicts the lifestyle of a 19th-century Muslim family. If you need a snack, get a samosa at Biesmiellah.

As an alternative lunch option, I totally get it if a bougie seafood lunch in the harbour doesn’t suit your sensibilities after Robben Island. You could go straight to the Bo-Kaap and have lunch at Biesmiellah instead, or take a detour to the Eastern Food Bazaar for local street food.

Evening

For a casual dinner, go to El Burro for tacos, or South China Dim Sum for dumplings (although the vibe at South China is slightly grungy, the food is excellent – but don’t hang around Long Street for too long). Alternatively, go to Hacienda for Mexican food and cocktails. After dinner, get drinks at the Power and the Glory on Kloof Nek, or go to Publik, Cape Town’s OG wine bar. The staff are friendly and fun, and very good at sourcing really great, lesser-known South African wines.

Day 3: Cape Peninsula Tour – Penguins, Arty Villages, and Cape Town’s Most Beautiful Drive

Morning

Step behind Cape Town’s Lentil Curtain! Things are a lot more barefoot and relaxed on the Cape Peninsula.

Start your day at Muizenberg Beach, with a short walk to the colourful beach huts for a photo. You could have breakfast here, and there are lots of lovely, sandy cafes, but I prefer Kalk Bay, a ten-minute drive away. Kalk Bay is very charming, and you could easily spend the whole day here. If you’re feeling brave, join the locals for a cold water swim at Dalebrook Tidal Pool, and then walk across the road to Chardonnay Deli or Olympia Cafe for breakfast. Wander along the main road, browsing in the galleries and antique shops, and then get back into the car for the 20-minute drive to the Boulders Penguin Colony.

Boulders is one of the only places in the world where you can see African penguins up close, in their natural habitat. You will need to pay for your entrance, as the site is now a conservation area, and you can book tickets in advance. The best place to see the penguins is at Foxy Beach, where there are boardwalks which allow you to get a good view of them. If you walk along to Boulders Beach, you can also have a swim at low tide. You can get slightly closer to the penguins at Boulders, but remember that they are wild animals with very sharp beaks, and they will nip you if you bother them.

Afternoon

Now, the lunch conundrum. The best place to have lunch in the area is Noordhoek, but it involves a 20-minute backtrack from Boulders, and then the drive from Noordhoek to Cape Point takes 50 minutes. The alternative is to have lunch in Simonstown, which is right next to Boulders, and makes a lot more sense – the drive from Simonstown to Cape Point is only 30 minutes. There is also a restaurant at Cape Point, as a further alternative.

If you have an extra hour, I would suggest going to Noordhoek. Have lunch at the Foodbarn at the Noordhoek Farm Village, at Aegir Project, or at Cape Point Vineyards.

After lunch, head to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and take a walk along Cape Point. Confession: I grew up thinking that Cape Point was the southernmost tip of Africa, and also where the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean meet. This is a common misconception – the meeting point of the two oceans, and the southernmost tip of Africa, is actually at Cape Agulhas, quite a way away.

Despite this, Cape Point is the southwesternmost tip of the continent, and the nature reserve offers stunning views, walking trails, a funicular, a lighthouse, more dassies, and possibly baboon sightings (stay away from them and don’t feed them). It is notoriously windy at Cape Point, so make sure you take warm clothing.

Evening

If Chapman’s Peak is open (I’m boring you at this point, but this is also weather dependent), take a drive that way from Noordhoek and thank me later – this is one of the country’s most spectacular and dramatic drives (so dramatic that I actually used to have a recurring nightmare about losing control of a car here). If the road is open, it is safe to drive, but do be careful – it is narrow. Note that Chapman’s Peak is a toll road, and toll roads in South Africa often do not accept foreign bank cards, so it is a good idea to draw money in advance.

Just at the end of Chapman’s Peak, right before you come down into Hout Bay, is a hotel called Tintswalo Atlantic. Now I know that three fine dining dinners in five days may be a bit much for some, but there are so many really great and incredibly varied options in Cape Town that I think it’s worth trying to squeeze in as many as possible. My suggestion for tonight’s dinner is Chef’s Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic. The sunset views out over Hout Bay are second to none, and the food is amazing and incredibly inventive.

If all the fine dining is a bit too much for you, have something more casual tonight. People often tell me that they had the best steak of their lives in Cape Town. To get your fix, go to Belthazar in the Waterfront, the Hussar Grill in Camps Bay, or Carne (Keerom Street and Kloof Street).

Day 4: Sunrise Lion’s Head Summit and the Constantia Wine Route

Morning

If you’re doing the Lion’s Head hike, today is the perfect day for it. Partly because you probably spent a lot of time in the car yesterday, and also because a wine tasting day tends to be quite inactive (apart from lifting glass to mouth).

Lion’s Head is quite steep at the beginning, but it gets easier after the initial section. The whole hike can be done in under three hours, which makes it a great early morning activity. Because the route is circular around the Lion’s Head summit, you get stunning views of Cape Town from different angles. It is particularly impressive at sunrise, and there is nothing like summitting a mountain before most people have their morning coffee to make you feel accomplished!

Breakfast, wine tour and lunch

After a quick shower, head to Constantia for your well-deserved day of wine tasting. The Constantia wine route is the most convenient if you only have five days in Cape Town, because it is only a 20-minute drive from the city. There are seven wine farms in Constantia, but Cape Point Vineyards in Noordhoek is close enough to be tacked on as an eighth option.

NB: I do not recommend doing all eight in one day! Most people do well with three farms for a good day out, with lunch at the third and final farm, where you might want to linger for a while. After lunch, people tend to want to go home for a nap. The most important thing about wine tasting is not to rush anything – sit under the trees, order a bottle of your favourite wine, and stay as long as you like. Don’t drink and drive.

The best place to start a Constantia wine tour is at Groot Constantia, the oldest of the Cape Town wine farms, with an impressive history dating back to the 1600s. And don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about breakfast! Jonkershuis, one of the restaurants at Groot Constantia, is one of the best spots in the area for breakfast. You’ve earned a good one, plus you can never have too big a breakfast on a wine tasting day.

After breakfast, stroll over to the tasting room at Groot Constantia for your first tasting. Based on its proximity, I suggest Buitenverwachting next. This is a very pretty estate, which is beloved by locals on weekend afternoons, for picnics and wine tasting under the trees. Alternatively, you could go to Klein Constantia, famous for its Vin de Constance, which is also nearby.

Where to next? You’re pretty much in the middle of the Constantia wine route, so you could choose to go down towards Constantia Uitsig and Steenberg (both older farms with a lot of history), or up towards Beau Constantia and Constantia Glen (newer, smaller farms, but with excellent views, and great wine).

Option 1: For the newer, smaller, but no less slick estates, go up to Constantia Glen for your third wine tasting and lunch. They make the best cheese and charcuterie boards in Cape Town, because they serve them with rooibos-smoked butter – this will change your life forever, and no butter will ever measure up again.

If you can handle a fourth estate, Beau Constantia is very nearby, has a pretty, glass-encased tasting room (go to the “loo with a view”!), and the best views of the valley. If you didn’t go to Chef’s Warehouse at Tintswalo last night, consider the Chef’s Warehouse at Beau Constantia as a lunch alternative (although this is a slightly more formal option).

Option 2: If you’re a fan of champagne, go to Steenberg, which makes some of South Africa’s best Method Cap Classique (or MCC). It has an enormous range of wines, and a very cool tasting room with glass walls so that you can look through into the distilling area. It also has two really excellent restaurants for lunch – I like 1682, which is slightly more casual, on a wine tasting day.

If you’ve come to Steenberg and you want to do a fourth estate, the closest is Constantia Uitsig (which is perfect after lunch because it has an ice-cream shop, among a multitude of other things). Alternatively, you could also take the 20-minute drive up to Cape Point Vineyards, if you didn’t go yesterday, which has sea views and a great vibe on the lawns.

Evening

The best thing to eat for dinner after a day of wine tasting is a pizza, fact. For a casual spot on Bree Street, go to Pizza Shed. For something with a bit more of a vibe (which might suit you after a day of wine tasting!) go to Club Kloof for cocktails, pizzettas, and Italian small plates. Otherwise, have a casual dinner at the Mojo Market in Seapoint (my favourites are Junior for smashburgers or Tortilla Modern Mexican for burritos), or try a Cape Town hidden gem.

Day 5: Art, Botanical Gardens, and Fine Dining

Morning

Take things easy on your last day. For breakfast, you can’t go wrong with Clarke’s, a classic Cape Town spot. I also love Hemelhuijs, an old favourite with slightly fancy brunch options.

Next, go to a museum. My current top Cape Town museum is the Zeitz MOCAA, Africa’s largest museum of contemporary art, but the District Six Museum is also worth a visit. If you have time this morning, you should also try to fit in a spa trip – South Africa’s spas are excellent, with gardens, swimming pools and complimentary spa facilities. The One and Only is easily walkable from the ZEITZ MOCAA, and is my favourite Cape Town spa.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, have a picnic lunch at Kirstenbosch, South Africa’s most beautiful botanical gardens. You can take food with you, or buy it there (you can also bring wine into Kirstenbosch). Find a shady spot under the trees for a lovely, relaxing lunch. After lunch, take a stroll around the gardens – walk along the Boomslang, or go to Colonel Bird’s bath.

Alternative option for today: If you haven’t had your hiking fill, there is a great, not too difficult hike from Constantia Nek, which ends at Kirstenbosch. If you want to do this, do it in the morning, because of the heat in Cape Town, and do the Zeitz MOCAA and/or the spa in the afternoon instead.

Evening

You can’t leave Cape Town without a trip to La Colombe, which is arguably South Africa’s best restaurant, and which often ranks among the best in the world. I’ve deliberately put this restaurant on the last night, because it will make a fitting end to your trip – it is definitely the best restaurant experience I have ever had. La Colombe is very much worth the drive to Hout Bay, but if you can’t get a reservation, they have opened a number of really great sister restaurants closer to the city centre. We went to Waterside on a recent trip home, and absolutely loved it.

Is 3 days in Cape Town enough?

Three days is tight, but you can still see the highlights. I would do three days in Cape Town like this:

• Day 1: Table Mountain, lunch in the Bo-Kaap, and the afternoon at the beach
• Day 2: Robben Island, lunch at the Waterfront, and Kirstenbosch in the afternoon
• Day 3: Boulders in the morning, a Constantia wine farm for lunch, and one or two other Constantia wine farms in the afternoon

If you only have four days, I would skip the Cape Peninsula Tour and do Boulders Beach on the last morning instead of the museum, but keep the rest of the Cape Town itinerary the same.

What do to in 7 days in Cape Town:

If you have more time in Cape Town, I suggest spending a few days in the winelands. Choose from Franschhoek, Stellenbosch, or the Hemel en Aarde Valley. Or have a look at my list of the 40 best things to do in Cape Town. When you get sick of the tourist spots, see how to spend a weekend in Cape Town like a local.

Read More About South Africa

• Hidden Gem Restaurants in Cape Town: 5 Local Favourites
• The best spas in South Africa for a luxury retreat
• The Perfect 3-Day Franschhoek Itinerary
• Cape Town food: 15 must-try things to eat and drink
• The Perfect Weekend Away In Cape Town Like a Local
• South African Wine Routes: Constantia Wine Route, Cape Town
• The 10 Best Things to Do in Cape Town in Winter
• The Ultimate Girls’ Trip Guide to Cape Town
• The 40 Best Things to Do in Cape Town
• Cape Town Itinerary: 5 Perfect Days for First-Timers
• Is Cape Town Safe for Tourists? Tips from a Local
• The Best Spa Hotel in Johannesburg: A Stay at the Four Seasons Westcliff
• The Best Restaurants in Johannesburg
• 15 Stunning South African Sunsets and Where to Find Them
• The 9 Best Franschhoek Wine Farms for Tastings, Lunch and Views
• Where to Stay in Cape Town: 40 Great Hotels by Area
• The Perfect Two-Week South Africa Itinerary
• The 5 Best Hidden Gem Wineries in Franschhoek